Improvement in office-slates



c. BoYLE. y Oue Slates.

" N. 143,804. Patented oct. 21,1823.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CORNELIUS BOYLE, OF VASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

iMPRovEMENT IN OFFICE-SLATES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 143,804, dated October 21, 1873; application iiled September 10, 1873.

.To all rwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CORNELIUS BOYLE, of the city of Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oflice-Slates 5 and that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings making a part of -this spec ifieation, in which- Figure 1 represents, in perspective, the complete lcontrivance, ready to be hung against a wall, door, or house;v and Fig. 2 represents a vertical transverse section through the same.

My invention relates to .what is commonly known as, and called, an office-slate, on which addresses, or orders, or commissions of any kind, are written; and it consists, mainly, in

the manner in which the slate is united to or with the backing or frame, so that it may be readily placed or inclined for being conven iently written upon, and as readily replaced or set back in the frame, and be suiiiciently fastened to the backing or frame to prevent its being carried off.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will describe the same with reference to the drawings.

A represents a backing or frame, which may be of wood or metal, but preferably of castiron, which is strong and cheap. This baclt ing or frame may be ornamented with moldings to give it a neat appearance. Underneath the top and projecting portion a of the frame may be permanently placed the naine of the user, together with his title, profession, or occupation, as at b. In a panel or recess below the naine, and in grooves or openings extending from the edge of the frame or backing, is fitted a slide, c, upon which the office-hours may be displayed, and changed to suit the circumstances ofthe case; and, below this slide, in a second open panel or recess, may be placed another slide, d, which slips into its seat through grooves or ways leading from the edge of the frame. Upon this slide d may be written or otherwise displayed the particular place where the user or owner has gone to, or may be found at; and this slide may-be changed to suit the varied information desired to be left upon the slate or directory. On a permanent portion of the backing of frame A, as at c, may be printed or cast, or otherwise displayed, the direction for leaving the address, order, or commission upon the slate f below it. The slate j', when upright, ts snugly into an open panel or recess formed or cast in the backing or frame A, and it is secured to the said backing or frame by means of screws or journals g, which pass through slots h in the frame A, and into the slate-frame i. When the slate is ,pushed back into its pancl or recess it is iiush,

or thereabont, with the front of the frame A. When it is to be written upon, it is drawn out at the bottom by means of the strap j, or any other well-known projection; and it then assumes the inclined position .shown in Fig. 2, in which position it can be conveniently written upon, and again set back in its recess or panel. A pencil case or holder, 7., is provided for holding the pencil 1.,whichis secured to the frame A by a string or chain, m. The lower portion of the frame or backing A is provided with a letter-box, in which n is the opening for inserting letters, cards, or papers; and o, the locked door, by which access may be had to the interior of the letter-box. The top p of the letter-box constitutes the table or support for the slate f when drawn out, as shown in Fig. 2. The letter-box may be of wood, fastened to the back or frame, or partially of wood and partially of iron., or entirely of cast-iron,

if so preferred. On top of the frame or backing are lugs q q, by which the slate and its appendages may be hung up or secured to a wall, door, or house, permanently or otherwise.

Vv'hat I claim is In combination with a frame or backing, A, the slatef, pivoted thereto by screws or journals g, arranged to pass through and slide up and down in slots h in said frame, for the purpose of drawing out and inclining said slate, so as more easily to be written upon, and of returning it to its recess, substantially as described and shown.

' CORNELIUS BOYLE.

Witnesses A. B. STOUGHTON, EDMUND MAssoN. 

